Four Indiana Hoosiers were featured in CSN’s Top 100 Returning Players list, and all four followed Coach Curt Cignetti from the James Madison Dukes to Indiana.
It’s an impressive feat as most of these players originally committed to an FCS school and now are ranked in the Top 100 of all players in the country. Read on to find out which Hoosiers are named in our list.
Which Hoosiers Players Were Listed Among Top 100 Returners?
Indiana has four stars who are listed among the Top 100 returning players in college football.
Aiden Fisher, the middle linebacker for the Hoosiers, came in at No. 52; Elijah Surratt, Indiana’s star wide receiver, came in at No. 30; D’Angelo Ponds, who plays cornerback, was ranked No. 19; and Mikail Kamara was the No. 12-ranked returning player.
52) Aiden Fisher, LB
Fisher enters his senior year at No. 52 on our Top 100. Fisher started his career as a zero-star recruit who committed to JMU in 2022. After limited playing time his freshman year, he became a starter as a sophomore and proved he was a top LB in the country.
Last year, Fisher followed Cignetti to Indiana and was a tackling machine in the Big Ten. He racked up 118 total tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, and 1.5 sacks in his junior year. In 2025, he looks to continue that success as the leader of the Hoosiers defense and make a name for himself in the 2026 NFL Draft.
30) Elijah Sarratt, WR
Sarratt committed to JMU in 2023 and balled out in his first season, racking up 82 catches, 1,191 yards, and eight touchdowns. It was a no-brainer for Cignetti to bring the star young wideout along to Indiana, and Sarratt made the transition from the Sun Belt to the Big Ten seamlessly.
Sarratt continued his success in 2024, catching 53 passes for 937 yards and eight touchdowns. In 2025, Sarratt looks to be Indiana’s top pass catcher and a reliable target for CAL transfer QB Fernando Mendoza.
19) D’Angelo Ponds, CB
Ponds has already made a name for himself as one of the best cornerbacks in the entire country after just two seasons. Ponds was a CSN Freshman All-American in 2023 and continued that success into his first year at Indiana in 2024.
During his sophomore campaign, Ponds had 57 tackles, five TFLs, and three interceptions. He also received an 87.5 coverage grade from PFF, solidifying him as one of the best corners in the nation. Ponds is already projected to be drafted in 2026, and with a successful junior campaign, there’s a chance he will go in Round 1.
12) Mikail Kamara, EDGE
Kamara comes in as a top-15 player in the country returning in 2025 and should be dominant on Indiana’s defensive line once again. Kamara had 11.5 sacks in his first two seasons of college football at JMU before transferring to Indiana before his junior season.
In 2024, Kamara balled out in his first season in the Big Ten, racking up 10 sacks for the Hoosiers.
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Now heading into his senior year, the hype around Kamara has never been higher, and if he can repeat his 2024 production, Kamara may find himself in the top 10 of the 2026 NFL Draft.
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